Firestar
Firestar is a handsome ginger tom with green eyes. Firestar was a leader of ThunderClan who had previously lived under the leadership of Bluestar. His mate is Sandstorm, and his two kits are Squirrelflight and Leafpool. Background (Into the Wild) Firestar is first seen as a kittypet named Rusty. Rusty is having a dream about hunting a mouse in the forest when a familiar noise wakes him up. It turns out to be his Twolegs pouring kibble into his food dish. Rusty gets up, noting how uncomfortable his collar is around his neck, and that in his dream the soft fur there was free. Rusty eats reluctantly, then heads outside and jumps on the fence. He quickly decides to check out the forest beyond the fence and leaps down on the other side. A voice calls for Rusty, and he turns around to greet the newcomer. Rusty looked up. A young black-and-white cat was balancing ungracefully on the fence. "Hello, Smudge." Rusty replied. "You're not going into the woods, are you?" Smudge's amber eyes were huge. "Just for a look." Rusty promised, shifting uncomfortably. "You wouldn't get me in there. It's dangerous!" Smudge wrinkled his black nose with distaste. "Henry said he went into the woods once." The cat lifted his head and gestured with his nose over the rows of fences toward the garden where Henry lived. "That fat old tabby never went into the woods!" Rusty scoffed. "He's hardly been beyond his own garden since his trip to the vet. All he wants to do is eat and sleep." "No, really. He caught a robin in there!" Smudge insisted. "Well, if he did, then it was before the vet. Now he ''complains ''about the birds because the disturb his dozing." "Well, anyway," Smudge went on, ignoring the scorn in Rusty's mew, "Henry told me there are all sorts of dangerous animals out there. Huge wildcats who eat live rabbits for breakfast and sharpen their claws on old bones!" "I'm only going for a look around." Rusty meowed. "I won't stay long." "Well, don't say I didn't warn you!" purred Smudge. -Smudge and Rusty talking in Into the Wild, pp. 10-11 After this, Rusty sits down on the grass outside the garden and wonders whether Smudge is telling the truth. Suddenly, he notices a mouse diving under some branches. He crouches, determined to get it right after his dream. He rocks his haunches back and forth, preparing to leap at the mouse. But then forest sounds scare Rusty and the mouse runs off from the noise of his collar jingling. Rusty sees a red, bushy tail (which he later learns is a fox). He follows it, only to stop when he hears something like pawsteps. Something explodes out of the undergrowth and attacks the kittypet, throwing him sideways into a clump of brambles. He tries to throw off the attacker that was on his back. Rusty notes they had extremely sharp claws, and that there were teeth pricking at his neck. Once again, he tries to free himself, but to no avail. Then he throws off the attacker by twisting so he was on his back, and tries to run back home. But the attacker gives chase, and Rusty skids to a halt, wanting "to turn and fight than let himself be jumped on again". Rusty turns around, prepared to fight, when he sizes up his pursuer. It was another kitten, with a thick gray coat of shaggy fur, strong legs, and a broad face. -Rusty sizing up his attacker in Into the Wild, p. 13 He scents that the attacker is a tom, and senses his strength. Then, the attacker runs in to Rusty at full speed and, surprised by Rusty's reaction, falls back, defeated. Rusty is out of breath from the impact, and he staggers. But then he finds his footing and prepares for another attack by fluffing up his fur. The attacker sits up and begins to lick a paw. Rusty feels disappointed. He is "tense, ready for battle". Hey there, kittypet!" meowed the gray tom cheerfully. "You put up quite a fight for a tame kitty!"..."And I'll fight you again if I have to," he (Rusty) growled. "I'm Graypaw, by the way," the gray kitten went on, ignoring Rusty's threat. "I'm training to be a ThunderClan warrior." Rusty remained silent. He didn't understand what this Graywhatsit was meowing about, but he sensed the threat had passed. He hid his confusion by leaning down to lick his ruffled chest. "What's a kittypet like you doing out in the woods? Don't you know it's dangerous?" asked Graypaw.